Patrick Moran Resigns From Father's Campaign After Video Release

ARLINGTON, Va. (AP/WUSA) - The son of Rep. Jim Moran, D-Va., has resigned from his father's campaign after a conservative group released an undercover video in which he discussed a plan to cast fraudulent ballots.

Patrick Moran, who had been a field director for the campaign, released a brief resignation statement Wednesday. Moran's resignation has been accepted and is effective immediately, the campaign told 9News in an email.

The resignation came hours after Project Veritas, an organization led by activist James O'Keefe, released a video showing an undercover operative pitching a voter-fraud plan to Patrick Moran outside an Arlington restaurant earlier this month. The plan called for casting ballots in the name of 100 voters who were registered but rarely voted.

In the video, Patrick Moran expresses doubts about the plan but eventually tells the undercover volunteer to "look into it."

Patrick Moran replied to a 9News e-mail asking for comment saying:

"In
reference to the "O'Keefe" video, at no point have I, or will I ever
endorse any sort of illegal or unethical behavior. At no point did I take this
person seriously. He was acting crazy and it struck me that he was
joking, and for only that reason did I humor him.

In
retrospect, I should just walked away, making it clear that there is no place
in the electoral process for even the suggestion of illegal
behavior, joking or not.

In
regards to my position on the campaign, I have stepped down because I do not
want to be a distraction during this year's critical election. "

Jim Moran's campaign released this statement following Pat's resignation:

"Patrick is well liked and was a well-respected member of
the campaign team. This incident, however, was clearly an error in
judgment.The campaign has accepted
Patrick's resignation, effective immediately."